Mom's - Who has the TIME?

I was lying in bed this morning (OK NIGHT) lets face it it is 2AM and I can't sleep. My mind is racing and I thought since I am up I might as well BLOG about what I am thinking about.

Seriously Who has ANY TIME to do anything?

What does your Daily/Weekly TO DO LIST include??

Work Out,

Shower,

Shave our legs (so we don't scare away our husbands),

Get Dressed,

Put on Make-up,

and Hopefully do our hair

Make sure the kids make their beds, and brush their teeth, and practice the piano

Make sure all Kids Homework is done, sign folders, and make sure it is ready for the following day,

Get Kids to Baseball, Gymnastics, Piano Lessons, Music Class, Swim Lessons, etc.
Feed the kids Breakfast,

Make Lunches for kids going to school,

Plan and Prepare a healthy Dinner

Pay Bills,

Do the Grocery shopping,

Bazillion Load's of Laundry, and PUT THEM AWAY

Clean Bathrooms,

Vacuum,

Sweep,

Mop,

Dust,

Unload and Load the Dishwasher

Pick up the Dry Cleaning,

Take the Car pool,

Take out the garbage,

Change Diapers,

Get Visiting Teaching Done,

Primary Pres Meetings,

Plan Sharing Time,

Help with Cub Scouts, and Activity Day's Projects, Or whatever other calling anyone may have

Read Scriptures, Ensign, Church News, Friend, and don't forget the RS Lesson (and Hopefully still find time to read something for fun)

Oh have you found time yet in your day to do that Compassionate service meal you signed up for, or Helped in at least one of your children's classrooms,

Return books to Library, and Movies to Blockbuster

Ward Choir,

Go to the Temple,

Scrapbook,

Catch up on Email or Blogging

Do your Family History

Stock up for your Year's Supply

Help in the Cannery

Attend a Play Group

Go to Homemaking

Have you had time to PLAY with your kids, Potty train your toddler, Help your kindergartner learn to read or figure out how to subtract, or did you even SIT down as a family for dinner?

What about Dr. apts and picking up the prescription from the pharmacy, and

Did you remember to buy the new shoes for the kids (cause their feet are growing so dang fast they have out grown the ones I just got from I swear it was just LAST WEEK)

CRAP... Who else FORGETS TO EAT Breakfast and sometimes Lunch and Dinner.

Who remembered or had the energy to cuddle with their Husband?

I am so impressed with any MOM that on top of ALL THIS, has a full or even part time job!!

Does anyone really have time for TV, who is it that has time for Oprah or Rachael Ray anymore? Thank heavens for the TV diet we went on last summer!!!

I found these Suggestions on a Website.

When you feel the need to escape and take a few minutes to yourself to de-stress, follow some (if not all) of the tips below.

Put yourself in time out: Allow some alone time for yourself. Use this time to focus on you. Find a place in your home that you can go to and find privacy. You can ask your partner or a friend to take the family out for a few hours while you enjoy your alone time. Do nothing, sleep, read, watch a movie, and just enjoy your solitude. (I wish i could go to TIME OUT.. I can't even sit on the Toilet for 1 minute without being bombarded by my children)

Call a Friend: Rather than yelling at your husband or your children, try picking up the phone and vent to a friend. Be sure not to vent AT her, but rather tell her about your day and get it all out. If she offers you some advice, listen and soak it in. This mini-time out session will leave you feeling heard, de-stressed and you will find that by the end of your call some of you anger will have dissipated. (Phew, cause I feel like anytime I AM on the phone this is exactly what I am doing, but maybe not in quite the pleasing way it is described here)

Play: As adults, we sometimes forget the beneficial value of play. Play stimulates our imagination, encourages our creativity, boosts our energy, and best of all, it is fun. Try a game of tennis, a game of cards online or perhaps invite some friends over for an evening of adult board games. (does a game of Candyland count, or possibly Barbies? I swear that is the only type of PLAY I can get)

Meditate: Meditation has been proven to reduce your blood pressure, and helps to dramatically reduce your stress level. Meditation and/or prayer will help you to keep in touch with your spiritual side. Meditation is a very effective method of relaxation. To meditate, quiet your mind and allow yourself to focus on one thing, such as your breath. Find a relaxed comfortable position where Try visualizing good health and peace as you inhale. While you are breathing out breathe out all of your stress. Set aside approximately 20 minutes for this exercise. Upon completion, you will see just how much more relaxed your mind and body is. (20 Minutes?? seriously this person can't be serious, where are those 20 minutes going to come from, I guess I am up at 2 in the morning and I could do it NOW before I head out to the gym at 5, but NORMALLY I would be sleeping till then. . . The trick is to learn to meditate while kids are crying and you can hear the Barney or Elmo voices that are so NOT soothing and you have Cheerios's or Gold fish being thrown around your house getting squished into the carpet)

Take a nap: Find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused. Studies have shown that people who spent 30 minutes each day napping had one third less heart disease than those who didn't nap. (So yesterday I sat on the bed in Ashlyn's room to play Barbies and I swear in 2 seconds I was asleep, I got caught by Chad less than a minute into this so called NAP. I actually was embarrassed, oh and Ashlyn has told me that she wont cuddle with me on the couch to watch a Barbie Movie because she thinks I will fall asleep . . . I would LOVE a nap during the day, but I'd have to get over that guilty feeling like I just got caught doing something wrong oh and FIND THE TIME)

Eat: Not just anything but certain things. Studies show that certain foods can help reduce stress. Carbohydrates will actually soothe you. Good sources of carbohydrates include rice, pasta, potatoes, breads, air-popped popcorn and low-calorie cookies. Experts suggest that the carbohydrates present in just one baked potato or a cup of spaghetti or white rice is enough to relieve the anxiety of a stressful day. (I don't see Chocolate or Ice Cream here and I do think it is weird to actually see we should eat carbs . . . Experts also aren't telling us that we will have to add an extra hour on the treadmill to our work out to burn off the extra calories that our DE STRESSING added to our Daily Caloric intake)

Movie Time: If you don’t have anyone to watch the children for you while you de-stress. Put in one of their favorite movies, supply your children with a few healthy snacks, and have them occupy themselves for a little while so that you can take a breather.Don't feel guilty for taking time out to rejuvenate your mind and body. (I can only stand Elmo, Barney, Nemo, Barbie Movies, Etc SO MANY TIMES . . . seriously who can rejuvenate with the high squeal of Elmo, or while Barney is fondling the little kids.)

DISCLAIMER!!!!!!! Chad does NOT care if I take a nap he actually has told me he likes to see me resting. This was ment in NO WAY to say CHAD doesn't help me either because I could ask him to help me with any of these things and he would GLADLY do it. He even tries to do things when I don't ask like the dishes or helping with the kids. I used this post PURELY to just list the MANY MANY THINGS we as moms have on our plate!!! I LOVE YOU BABE xoxoxo

Being a mom is not an easy task and it is a full time job. Take a break when you need it and be sure to ask for help to keep the stress at bay.

THANK YOU MOM for all you did for ME growing up. You did this for 6 kids. I can't even to it for 4 kids.